Date: 01-12-2005

Case Style: John Doe, et al. v. Redding Medical Center

Case Number: Unknown

Judge: Jack Halpin

Court: Superior Court, Shasta County, California

Plaintiff's Attorney:

Russell Reiner and Robert G. Simpson of Reiner, Simpson, Timmons & Slaughter Law Offices, Redding, California and Moriarty Leyendecker, of Houston, Tex.; Hackerman Frankel, of Houston, Tex.; and Yetter & Warden of Houston, Tex.

Defendant's Attorney: Unknown

Description:

Former cardiac care patients at Redding Medical Center have reached a $24 million agreement with four cardiologists to settle legal claims arising out of allegations that unnecessary cardiac catheterizations and bypass surgeries were performed at the hospital before November 2002, according to the law firm of Reiner, Simpson, Timmons & Slaughter and co-counsel.

Today, Shasta County Superior Court Judge Jack Halpin issued an order approving the settlement. The settlement increases pending Redding Medical Center-related settlements to $419 million. On Dec. 21, 2004, Tenet Healthcare Corp. announced an agreement in principle to settle substantially all claims brought by more than 750 former Redding cardiac care patients against Tenet and its subsidiaries. On Dec. 30, 2004, Tenet established a $395 million settlement fund to be allocated among the former patients. More than 98 percent of those individual settlements have been approved by the former patients to date, according to counsel.

Co-lead counsel Robert G. Simpson, of Reiner, Simpson, Timmons & Slaughter, stated, "Tenet and now the cardiologists have moved to bring this matter to a fair and honorable conclusion. It is time for the surgeons to do the same. Absent that, our clients and legal team are prepared to go to trial later this year and show exactly what happened at Redding Medical Center."

Liaison counsel Russell Reiner, of Reiner, Simpson, Timmons & Slaughter, stated, "This latest settlement means that only the Redding surgeons stand in the way of a complete resolution of this matter. For the sake of these former patients, and our community, we are prepared to work toward resolution with the surgeons, but have found no willingness on their part to do so. It seems apparent that a Shasta County jury will be forced to end this sad chapter in our community's history."

Outcome: Settled for $24 million.

Plaintiff's Experts: Unknown

Defendant's Experts: Unknown

Comments: None